Weird Musical History #12 I loved this Leeds comedy cabaret band as a kid, so when I heard they’d recorded a ‘psychedelic’ album in the early 1970s I had to track it down. And it’s really rather good. If you’re of a certain vintage, you’ll most likely remember the Grumbleweeds from their TV appearances andContinue reading “The Grumbleweeds Take A Trip”
Author Archives: Paul Weatherhead
The Demon-Haunted Castaway
In January 1726 the British ships the Compton and the James and Mary anchored off a desolate uninhabited island in the South Atlantic for repairs. Men were sent ashore to find provisions, but instead came across a tent with a man’s skeleton lying near it. Next to the skeleton was a manuscript – a diaryContinue reading “The Demon-Haunted Castaway”
The Gorefield Ghost
In early 1923 a Fenland farm was visited by strange destructive phenomena – household objects mysteriously flying across the room and smashing. Some said the house was haunted by a poltergeist, others blamed witchcraft or even demons. The haunted house became a national sensation, leading to psychic investigators, spiritualists, an exorcist, a witch and ArthurContinue reading “The Gorefield Ghost”
Doris Stokes – Welcome to my World
Weird Musical History #11 Doris Stokes was Britain’s foremost medium in the eighties. She was a regular on television, had a series of autobiographical books and toured the world selling out theatres with her displays of mediumship. She was spiritual advisor to the stars – John Inman, Freddie Starr and members of the cast ofContinue reading “Doris Stokes – Welcome to my World”
Vampires That Time Forgot #3
Here are a couple of forgotten ‘true’ news reports about historical bloodsuckers… A Family of Vampires Baron de Gostovsky was a haunted man. The landowner from Sabousz near modern day Gdansk believed his family were vampires, so on his death bed in 1887, he requested that before burial, his head should be cut off. ThisContinue reading “Vampires That Time Forgot #3”
Virgin Mary Photographed in France!
January 1922, Noveant, north west France. As the sun sets behind the village church, a large crowd from the surrounding villages gather to witness a miracle. Then she appears – the Virgin Mary in robes of light floating in the trees and looking kindly down on the faithful. This vision had appeared at sunset dailyContinue reading “Virgin Mary Photographed in France!”
Ghost Streakers!
In the dim moonlight of a nineteenth century lane, if you came across a pale spectral figure as naked as the day he was born, you might take it for a restless spirit. However, perhaps you had encountered a naked ghost – people who wandered the streets at night frightening any unlucky victim they happenedContinue reading “Ghost Streakers!”
It was 80 years ago today… Cycling Scientists on Acid
Weird Musical History 10 – Bike Psych On the 19 April 1943 chemist Albert Hofmann became the first person in history to give themselves a dose of a newly synthesised mind-altering drug. When things got too weird in his laboratory, he went on a psychedelic bicycle ride home through the mother of all bad trips.Continue reading “It was 80 years ago today… Cycling Scientists on Acid”
Theologians on Mind-Expanding Drugs ~ The Good Friday Experiment
On Good Friday 1962 a saucer-eyed theology student burst out of Marsh Chapel on Boston University campus and ran down the street proclaiming that he had been chosen to tell the world of the coming messiah. He was being chased by some desperate scientists armed with a syringe full of Thorazine – a powerful antipsychotic.Continue reading “Theologians on Mind-Expanding Drugs ~ The Good Friday Experiment”
Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft
Weird Musical History #9 In 1977, NASA launched the probes spacecraft Voyager 1 and 2 on a journey that will eventually have them leave our solar system far behind. They each carry a twelve-inch golden phonograph record with a message to any aliens who might in the distant future find one of the probes. TheContinue reading “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft”
Paul Weatherhead 